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Recent surveys show people are less interested in learning about history. But perhaps if the information came in the form of funny memes, for example, it would be an entirely different story. 

Enter the History Memes subreddit. All 11 million members and counting share the same fascination with events that happened at least two decades ago. Here, you’ll find visual puns and wisecracks about the German-Soviet pact of 1939, the Russian Revolution, and medieval battles, among many others. 

We’ve picked some standouts that may ignite your curiosity or, at the very least, provoke some interest. Scroll through each one, and hopefully, you will enjoy learning a thing or two about significant moments in history.

Memes aren’t just about expressing mundane thoughts about daily life. Many educators are using them as a learning tool for students. 

In an article for The Learning Scientists, cognitive science expert Dr. Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel explained that memes can provide students with visual and verbal content. Ultimately, this helps strengthen comprehension skills. 

We tend to absorb information more easily if it is related to daily life. Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel states memes are concrete examples of abstract and complicated concepts. 

Memes help extract ideas through the interplay of words and images. This, in turn, helps students understand the subject matter better.

#7

The Death Of Stalin

The Death Of Stalin

In 1953, Joseph Stalin suffered a stroke which would lead to his death. The chance of his survival were very low due to several reasons. “The Doctors Plot” had be occurring for the last two years, in which Jewish doctors in the Soviet Union were falsely accused of conspiring to kill high ranking Soviets. This led to the imprisonment and death of many of the Soviet Union’s doctors. In fact, the KGB were currently torturing Stalin’s own personal doctor. High Ranking Soviets were also very weary of calling any doctors that were left due to the fear that Stalin may accuse them of trying to usurp power or anything really and have them killed or imprisoned if he got better. Basically everyone was kinda sick of him and knew that eventually it would be them on the chopping block. When doctors were finally called, it was too late. Barely anyone dared to even enter his room. When his maid finally did, she found him face down on the floor.

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#8

Nothing To See Here…

Nothing To See Here…

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Alexandra
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fortunately, the Armenian Genocide is being acknowledged by more and more countries. Having said that, there are still a lot of genocides that need recognition, for instance the Nanking genocide by the Japanese.

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#9

Barrel Man Had The Right Ideas

Barrel Man Had The Right Ideas

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Der Kommissar
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Diogenes had a great sense of humor. When Alexander approached him, and asked if he needed anything, Diogenes replied " Stand aside to stop blocking the sun. "

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In a way, memes also encourage critical thinking. To do this, Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel encourages teachers to create memes that allow students to link their knowledge to real-world observations. 

In doing so, they explain concepts and break down big ideas using their own words. As Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel notes, elaboration using memes helps the overall learning process.

#10

Plot Armour Is Really Thick Here

Plot Armour Is Really Thick Here

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Elliot Blumenau
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is in fact in the Jewish bible, and the reason it worked is because he was being watched over by god.

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#11

Still Decoded Neanderthal Dna And Got The Nobel Prize In The End

Still Decoded Neanderthal Dna And Got The Nobel Prize In The End

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Enuya
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1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There was this curious criminal case in Germany. Woman's DNA showed up in *many* crime scenes, in wholly different parts of the country and so close in time that she wouldn't be able to travel to all of these places. Everybody was deeply disturbed, including considering paranormal activities. It turned out that one series of DNA sampling kits was contaminated by a factory worker. If you want more info, google Phantom of Heilbronn.

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#12

Why Everybody Likes Ike

Why Everybody Likes Ike

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XenoMurph
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And conservatives pretend racism has just magically disappeared and now it's just over sensitivity and paranoia

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Educators can use memes in different ways to make schoolwork more relatable to students. High school math teacher Sharon Serano suggests using these eye-catching images to create class rules, learn new vocabulary, dramatize novels, and, as you’ve seen from this list, emphasize historical events. 

#13

That Weird Time When Women Were Not Allowed To Take Part In Opera And Choirs So They Cut Boy's Balls For That

That Weird Time When Women Were Not Allowed To Take Part In Opera And Choirs So They Cut Boy's Balls For That

During much of the XVII and XVIII centuries women were not allowed to sing in choirs and opera. So in Italy boys who showed a lot of singing talent as kids were transformed into "castrati", in other words, they were castrated before puberty in order to prevent their voices to turn deeper so they could play women and characters with higher voices in opera, or be sopranos and mezzosopranos in choirs. In the process of castration many were administred near lethal doses of opium, causing many of them to die in the process.

The last of the castrati was a man called Alessandro Moreschi, who used to sang in the vatican choir. He died in the 1920s, and in fact he recorded himself singing in the early 1900s, leading to the only surviving archives of a castrati.

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#14

It Stood For 300 Years In One Of The Harshest Environments On Earth

It Stood For 300 Years In One Of The Harshest Environments On Earth

Context: The Tree of Ténéré was considered to be the most isolated tree in the world. The tree survived for around 300 years in one of the harshest environments in the world. It resided in the Sahara Desert where it was the only tree around for 250 miles. The tree overcame all odds by spreading it’s roots 100 ft below the surface in order to reach the water table that laid below. It was notable for being a well known landmark for travelers in a harsh and unforgiving environment. It also stood as a testament to the once green Sahara that later became the barren wasteland we know today.

In 1973, a drunk driver smashed into it, snapping its trunk, killing the tree. The driver became known as the man who managed to crash into the only obstacle in miles.

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As an experiment, Serano encouraged her students to create math memes using their preferred app or website. She was surprised by the turnout, with 38 of her students submitting more than 100 memes. 

In her article for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Serano said, “Memes are a great educational device for teachers and students alike to promote clarity, pedagogy, and humor.”

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#16

Happens Too Often

Happens Too Often

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DC
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Martin Luther, if he was still alive in 1930, could have successfully sued a well known antisemitist - THE picturebook antisemitist - for plagiarism in his most successful book. But, as time heals all flaws, everything and their Grandma still is named after him.

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#17

Definition Of "Know Your Enemy"

Definition Of "Know Your Enemy"

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BoredHouseKitty
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1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Indonesian here. He was a serial womanizer with countless wives and lovers. He was once married to a Japanese woman, and then not long after he married another Japanese woman. Because of that, the first Japanese woman ki11ed herself in anger and sadness. Not proud of him. Because of other things too.

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#18

Always The Same Pattern

Always The Same Pattern

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Fabian Bernard
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

''Independance'' in post colonial French Empire was quite a point of view. Search for ''Jacques Foccart'', you'll learn

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Now it’s your turn to share insights, dear readers. Which of these memes caught your attention the most? Did any of them pique your interest and make you want to learn more? We’d like to hear about them in the comments!

#20

Maybe, Just Maybe, There’s A Reason They Told You Not To Eat That

Maybe, Just Maybe, There’s A Reason They Told You Not To Eat That

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Enuya
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Out of curiosity, what happens when you overdose vitamin A? And would you be okay eating i.e. 1/20 of the liver every day, or would the vitamin build up in your body?

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#21

And They All Had A Great Time Doing It

And They All Had A Great Time Doing It

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Connie Hirsch
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Proof that being a nice person who is fun to work with, is one path to success.

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#22

It Really Doesn't Change Much

It Really Doesn't Change Much

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Dragons Exist
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like when people say that Hitler was vegan, cause that clearly cancels everything else out

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#23

Imamura Hitoshi -- War Criminal

Imamura Hitoshi -- War Criminal

"Imamura was detained at Rabaul by the Australian Army, as he and troops under his command were accused of war crimes, including the execution of Allied prisoners of war. One infamous example highlighted how the prisoners captured in eastern Java were locked up in bamboo cattle cages and thrown overboard into shark-infested waters. In April 1946, Imamura wrote to the Australian commander at Rabaul, requesting that his own trial for war crimes be expedited in order to speed the prosecution of war criminals under his command. Imamura was charged with "unlawfully [disregarding and failing] to discharge his duty ... to control the members of his command, whereby they committed brutal atrocities and other high crimes ...". He was tried by an Australian military court at Rabaul on 1–16 May 1947; he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for ten years. Imamura served his imprisonment at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo until he was released in 1954. As he found that his imprisonment was too light with respect to his responsibility for the crimes of his subordinates, he had a replica of the prison built in his garden, and he stayed there until his death.

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#24

I Feel So Bad For The Poor People

I Feel So Bad For The Poor People

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Skogsrået
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not the only horrible thing they did to the disabled, the mentally ill and the native swedes (samerna).

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#26

Darker Than You Think

Darker Than You Think

One of unit 731 many experiments was to freeze people then splash them with boiling water they figured out the best temperature for treatment.

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#29

The Cruelty Humans Are Capable Of Is Frightening

The Cruelty Humans Are Capable Of Is Frightening

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Hammerfairy
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not the monkey you have to isolate but the cruel scientist.

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#30

Chad

Chad

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Karl der Große
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some say he earned the name because of his broad chest, but others say it was because of his broad forehead.

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#32

Larry Bird Was A Menace

Larry Bird Was A Menace

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CrazyKnitter
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi! I'm a non-basketball fan who has absolutely no idea who that is!! 👋🏻👋🏻

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#33

That's Really Sad To Be Honest

That's Really Sad To Be Honest

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Annik Perrot
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the schools in Brittany at the time, there was a poster saying "It's forbidden to spit on the ground and to speak Breton"

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#34

The "Clean Emperor" Myth

The "Clean Emperor" Myth

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Jeffrey Diehl
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup. The Showa Emperor was a war criminal indeed. His record was scrubbed.

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#35

I Think They Hoped Everyone Forgot About That

I Think They Hoped Everyone Forgot About That

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Jrog
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Coco Chanel also was a nazi spy. She lived with an officer for Abwehr in the occupied Ritz Hotel, and used her contacts with british and french diplomats to pass information to the German Intelligence under the codename "Westminster". In exchange, she got a few friends freed from German prisons, and was promised ownership of a perfume factory taken from a jewish fragrance manufacturer.

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#37

It Happened An Uncomfortable Amount Of Times

It Happened An Uncomfortable Amount Of Times

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Jrog
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They called it "Tuesday". And Wednesday". And "Thursday". And "Friday". And "Weekend".

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#39

They Ain’t Getting Away That Easy

They Ain’t Getting Away That Easy

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Jrog
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1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For who's not a military history buff. The Texas, a m***o huge-a*s battleship, decided to join the landing and closed in to about 1.5 miles of the shore to pound the Germans with its 10 guns firing 500kg high explosive shells, happily shelling bunkers, artillery, tanks, infantry, sniper nests and nazis in the general vicinity. At some point, the close targets were all done for, and she decided to FLOOD HER STARBOARD SIDE to tilt the ship and get just slightly more elevation to f**k up some more nazi stuff that was outside her normal -but already impressive- 20 km firing range.

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#41

It’s Been A Bumpy Ride, But I Would Say Britain And France’s Relationship Ended Up In A Pretty Good Spot, All Things Considered

It’s Been A Bumpy Ride, But I Would Say Britain And France’s Relationship Ended Up In A Pretty Good Spot, All Things Considered

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#43

It'd Be Like Messi And Ronaldo Fighting To The Death

It'd Be Like Messi And Ronaldo Fighting To The Death

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Laura
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1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not entirely true. Most gladiators were slaves.They only could gain their freedom by receiving the rudis,a wood sword after an exceptional combat or career or by buying it with their savings. It’s true that free romans signed fixed term contracts to fight as gladiators,to pay theirs debst or for fame,but they were the minority. Please correct me if I'm wrong,not an expert :)

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#45

Never Ask Your Fav French Philosopher What Petition They Signed Back In 1977

Never Ask Your Fav French Philosopher What Petition They Signed Back In 1977

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Note: this post originally had 117 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.